We are looking for:

• General Volunteers
  • Welcome guests and help them find their way from key locations around campus
  • Answer questions and provide directions at "Ask Me" tables
  • Bring guests from session ticket stations to session delivery locations
  • Assist at sessions by greeting students, scanning tickets, and managing lines
• Tour Guides 
  • Facilitate 30-minute campus tours for students and their families during events 

To be eligible to sign up, you must:

• Be a returning UM student on the Fort Garry Campus
• Have a minimum of one semester of study before Summer 2023 (started at UM in Winter 2023 or earlier

Eligible volunteers will be contacted for an online group interview for us to get to know you.

As a volunteer, you must:

• Be available for one or more of the following events: 
  • Welcome to the Herd: Wednesday, August 9th, from 2:00 PM – 8:00 PM (must be available for a minimum of 3 hours), and/or
  • Prep Week: Wednesday, August 30th, from 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, and/or
  • Welcome Day: Tuesday, September 5th, from 8:00 am – 4:00 PM (minimum hour requirement: TBD)
• Attend an in-person, event-specific training session relevant to the role and event you signed-up for.
  • For Welcome to the Herd (location: TBA)
    • General Volunteer Training: August 1, 1:30-3:30 PM or August 2, 5:30-7:30 PM
    • Tour Volunteer Training: August 1, 5:30-7:30 PM or August 2, 1:30-3:30 PM
  • Training Dates for Prep Week and Welcome Day are to be determined.

Volunteering at Orientation is a great start to being involved on campus. Other benefits:

• meet new people and make friends
• a chance to win a gift card or other prizes at our volunteer appreciation event later this year (the more hours you volunteer, the more tickets you will receive!)
• receive a notation on your Experience Record as a UM Orientation Volunteer

As an Online Welcome Leader, you will…

• Support a group of new students in UM Essentials (the online Orientation course through UM Learn).
• Foster interaction between new students by facilitating activities and encouraging conversation.
• Share appropriate first-year experiences and information about available campus resources with new students.
• Participate in Online Orientation events such as Prep Week by hosting student-led sessions. 
• Act as a positive ambassador for the University of Manitoba and our community.

Skill Development Focus:

• Interpersonal skills
• Verbal & written communication
• Problem-solving
• Working as part of a team
• Public speaking (TBC)
• Virtual event facilitation (TBC)

Additional Benefits:

• Make connections on campus & with your peers
• Participate in monthly virtual volunteer activities throughout the summer & post-orientation wrap-up event
• Get Experience Record (formerly CCR) recognition for your contributions

To be eligible to volunteer with orientation, students must be:

• Currently registered as a University of Manitoba student at the undergraduate level on the Fort Garry Campus.
• Have a minimum one year of study at the U of M (successful completion of 18 credit hours or more prior to Summer 2023).
• Continuing as a registered University of Manitoba student in Fall 2023.
• In good academic standing (which, for the purposes of orientation, is defined as having a minimum GPA of 2.0 for the last three academic terms). Note that confirmation of GPA is part of the selection process.
• In good conduct standing based on the University of Manitoba’s Behavioural Policies. Additional details are available on the application form.

OWLs will be expected to:

• Complete the online training/modules (approx. 6 hours, completed virtually on own time end of May/beginning of June):
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
  • Sexual violence awareness and prevention
  • Completion of UM Essentials
• Attend the required training sessions (held virtually):
  • Friday, May 26, 6:00-8:00pm
  • Friday, June 23, 6:00-8:00pm
  • Friday, July 14, 6:00-8:00pm
  • Friday, August 11, 6:00-8:00pm
  • Wednesday, August 23, 6:00-8:00pm
• Engage with assigned group of new students in UM Essentials (approx. 1 hour per week June-September)
• Attend Prep Week programming:
  • Monday, August 28 - Friday, September 1
• Attend Volunteer Wrap-up:
  • Friday, October 6, 6:00-8:00pm
• Complete a program evaluation survey (approx. 1 hour, completed on own time)

As an Orientation Team Leader, you will be…  

• Assisting with the promotion of volunteer opportunities and recruitment of Online Welcome Leaders.
• Collaboratively developing the online interview and facilitating interviews for Online Welcome Leaders.
• Collaboratively planning, developing, and implementing online summer programming / meetings / training for Online Welcome Leader.
• Coordinating Online Welcome Leaders, which can include tracking participation, overseeing engagement on UM Essentials, and providing direction and feedback during 2023 orientation events.
• Assisting with recognition of Online Welcome Leaders & Fall 2023 orientation volunteer wrap-up.
• Presenting at orientation events alongside staff members; hosting and/or facilitating student-led sessions.  

Typical Team Size: up to 10  

Skill Development Focus

• Interpersonal skills
• Verbal and written communication 
• Planning and organizing 
• Problem-solving 
• Facilitation 
• Self-awareness & personal strengths 
• Coordinating / Leading / Supervising others 
• Public speaking 
• Working as part of a team 

Additional Benefits: 

• Make connections on campus & with your peers 
• Practice leadership skills that contribute to your campus community
• Get Co-Curricular Record (CCR) recognition for your contributions in the ledership category, separate from other orientation volunteers 

Required Time Commitment (February 2023 – October 2024)

Total time commitment: ~125+ hours

• ~3-5 hours/week (February – April)
• ~5-10 hours/week (May – July)
• ~7-15 hours/week (August & Orientation days)
• ~2-3 hours/week (September & early October)  

Specific dates / activities 

Eligibility to become an Orientation Team Leader:

• Currently a student enrolled in a U of M degree program at the undergraduate or graduate level
• Minimum of 2 years of study at the University of Manitoba (successful completion of 36 credit hours before May 2023)
• Returning to studies at U of M in Fall 2023 
• In good academic standing (which, for the purposes of orientation, is defined as having a minimum GPA of 3.0 for the last three academic terms). Note that confirmation of GPA is part of the selection process. Applicants with a GPA between 2.5 and 3.0 may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• In good conduct standing based on the University of Manitoba’s Behavioural Policies. 
• Previous volunteer experience with orientation events preferred

Application Process

For this application you will be asked to submit a 1-2 page cover letter (see below for what to include) in PDF format, with a copy of your winter term schedule.                                

Skills & experience applicants should address  

In your 1–2-page cover letter introducing yourself, please be sure to include the following:

• Your current (or target) faculty
• Your previous experience at orientation events, including your responsibilities
• Any additional volunteer experience (either on or off campus), including your responsibilities   
• Why you want to be a Team Leader  
• The strengths & skills you would bring to the Orientation team  
• What you would hope to gain as an Orientation Team Leader and/or skills you want to intentionally develop & work on  
• An outline of major commitments (e.g. classes you are taking/plan to take, volunteer/student group commitments, regular personal or family obligations, etc.) and description of possible challenges you may encounter in your involvement, with a proposed plan to manage your time that would allow you to fully participate as an Orientation Team Leader  

*For general guidelines about writing cover letters, please see the Cover Letter Handbook from Career Services*        

As a Fall Welcome Volunteer, you will…   

• Assist in various roles primarily during in-person Welcome Day
• Act as a positive ambassador for the University of Manitoba and our community
• Make connections on campus and with your peers 
• Gain knowledge about the university  
• Work collaboratively with a team of volunteers and staff 

Volunteering for 10+ hours over Fall Orientation volunteer training and events will mean that you will receive recognition on your Experience Record (former CCR) for this role. 

Welcome Day for Fall 2023 will be on Tuesday, September 5. Volunteers must attend a mandatory in-person training where they can sign up for shift-blocks on the day of the event. Training times will be announced closer to the time.

You are eligible to apply to be a Fall Welcome Volunteer if you...

• are currently registered as a University of Manitoba student at the undergraduate level on the Fort Garry Campus and;
• are in good conduct standing based on the University of Manitoba’s Behavioural Policies and;
• have a minimum one year of study at the U of M and; 
• are continuing as a registered University of Manitoba student in Fall 2023.

Sign up coming soon!